Many people do not know what the term “fondant” means. After all, it’s not a term used in everyday language; that is unless you bake cakes and other sweet desserts for a living. Fondant is actually a sugary icing that covers traditional cakes made for christenings, weddings, anniversaries, baby and bridal showers.
Also known as sugar paste, fondant is made up of gelatin and confectioner’s sugar. This sugar paste can be rolled, kneaded, molded, embossed and cut into various shapes. When it’s used to cover cakes, it gives a smooth area in which it can be decorated; it also keeps the cake’s freshness. Here are five fondant cake decorating tips you can use as you bake
Tip 1 – Using Fondant
There are two ways to obtain fondant: you can create it yourself or you can buy it already rolled to cover the cake. You also have the option to make your fondant from a packet mix. However you make it if you’ve got any leftover icing, store it for no longer than two months, in a bowl with a tight fitting lid to protect it from the air.
When using fondant, it’s important to know three skills:
- Kneading
- Mixing
- Rolling
If you don’t have the rolling skill and you’ve never rolled out pastry dough, think about joining a class that will teach you everything you need to know about fondant icing.
If you’re going to use rolled fondant, there are five ways to help you cover your cake.
- Place a light coating of buttercream icing.
- Press the fondant to a proper consistency.
- Roll the dough without letting it stick or crack.
- Lift up the dough, wrapping it completely over the cake.
- Use a smoother to shape the sugar paste on the cake, which will remove any bubbles.
You can also do poured fondant, which will give you a flat and semi-hard surface that allows you to do any cake decorating. You’ll also see that poured fondant gives the icing a shiny surface.
Another application to use for rolled fondant is to cover the cake board. The board can be decorated exactly the same colors as the cake, which flows outward from the cake. Another cake decorating tip is to cover the cake board with a contrasting, but complimentary, design from your cake. For example, you choose to build a home as your cake design. Consider making the house sit on a cake board of green grass. This gives it some class and style.
Tip 2 – Coloring and Flavoring Fondant
There are two ways you can color your fondant. You can either pre-tint it or color it. You can also find multi-packs of already colored fondant for your cake decorations. There are three steps to fondant decorating you need to follow to have it colored properly.
- Make a ball but roll the icing dough.
- Use a toothpick to add in your color; however, do it a few at a time.
- Press the ball until its color is entirely blended.
Want a marbleized effect? Roll out the dough before the color is fully mixed and press two colors together to get this effect.
Tip 3 – Fondant Decorations
When you’re ready to attach decorations to your fondant cake, do so by gently brushing it using a damp brush and pressing them carefully into the cake.
Here is some cake decorating tips to remember when working with fondant.
- When you’re making cutouts, be sure to use a cookie or fondant cutter.
- If you want ribbons, use a ribbon cutter and/or embosser. A ribbon cutter can make the ribbons wavy, zigzag or straight.
- Include ruffles in your design.
- Be sure to cut and sculpt different shapes including flowers and animals for your cake decorating design.
- Affix the designs to the cake and fill them in with royal icing of different colors.
- Fashion ropes using a sugarcraft gun or using your hands, twisting them collectively to produce an edging effect.
Finding More Cake Decorating Tips
When you’ve never worked with fondant, you may be surprised to learn that you can do all kinds of creative things with it. Be sure to look at plenty of cake decorating tips to give you ideas on designs. You’ll find some are rather complex while others are much simpler. Be sure to experiment with this ingredient before you undertake a project. If you want to try two colors with one type of decoration, you may be surprised by the outcome you get.
